No abstract

No abstract

Assessment of social competence and social networks is a critical component of transition planning. This article addresses various methods of assessment and support of social competence in school and the community to prepare individuals with mild to moderate disabilities for adulthood. The article emphasizes that transition planning and preparation is a continual process that begins in the early school experiences and continues through adulthood, and that assessment plays a crucial role in guiding instruction and transition planning. The Need for Social Competence Assessment in Transition PlanningIn the early 1980s employment was viewed as the central outcome of transition (Will, 1983(Will, , 1984. A few years later, it was argued that a focus on employment was too narrow in scope. As a result, Halpem (1985) proposed a model of transition where employment, the residential environment, and one's social/interpersonal networks were the key components of successful community adjustment-the ultimate aim. Halpem's third pillar, social/interpersonal networks, included dimensions of human relationships such as daily communication, self esteem, family support, emotional maturity, friendship and intimate relationships.The Halpem (1985) model of transition takes a more holistic approach whereby transition prepares individuals to participate in social and leisure-time activities that are an integral part of community life (Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 1996). Assessment of social preferences, strengths and weaknesses; interpersonal social skills; and social support networks would be necessary to facilitate this important pillar of transition. According to a position paper by the Division on Career Development and Transition, the Council for Exceptional Children (Halpem, 1994), the establishment of personal and social relationships may be considered the most important transition goal. Consequently, examining one's social competence and social networks are critical components of transition planning.The purpose of this article is to address various methods of assessment and support of social competence in school and the community aimed at preparing individuals with mild to moderate disabilities for adulthood.Specifically, we will attempt to answer two primary questions: What are the best ways to assess social competence and social networks?And how will assessment lead to socially valid practices that result in improved outcomes?We start out by defining social competence and discuss standardized assessments such as adaptive behavior and behavior rating scales. In the third section of this article, we make recommendations for assessing social competence and identifying goals that lead to social integration in the workplace and community. We conclude by stressing the importance of assessment guiding transition planning and instruction.

No abstract

The need for qualified special educators with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds is being experienced nationwide. Minority institutions of higher education are defined by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education (OSEP) as having 25% or more racially/ethnically diverse students in its enrollment. These institutions can serve as an important source for recruiting and training teachers to meet the increasing demand for professionals in the field of special education. This article provides a specific example of one program, the Post Baccalaureate Program in Special Education (PBSE), which is based at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Individuals recruited for this program represent an important segment of the potential pool of special education teacher candidates because they had relevant prior field experiences. Details are provided regarding the inception and implementation of this pilot program. Program features including strategies for aligning course and field requirements and the infusion of cultural and linguistic considerations of the school population are highlighted. Specific recommendations for future program development are included.